Numerous examples of apparatus and systems containing pipes carrying liquids include a device for protecting pipes against rupture. These can be found in both household appliances, such as washing machines or dishwashers, and also in more technically complex hydraulic systems in aircraft. There, they are also described by the term “hydraulic fuse”. These devices prevent fluids from escaping completely through these leakage points. Moreover, where they are used in a hydraulic system in an aircraft, their effect is to bring about an automatic shutdown of a defective pipe branching and to ensure that other consumer units upstream of the protection device can still be supplied with hydraulic fluid.
Such devices for the protection of pipes against rupture usually include an internal closing element that switches automatically into a closed position once a pre-determined volume flow is exceeded, thus preventing any further loss of fluid. However, when used in particular in an aircraft or in any other system where safety is paramount, the problem arises that such protection devices that are incorporated into hydraulic systems cannot be inspected (in situ). Under normal operating conditions, no volume flow can be generated that can close the pipe rupture protection device. In addition, other demands, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.